Buttonhole sewing and cutting machine.



No. 655,637. Patented Aug. 7, |900n J. REECE7 Decd.

. M. REECE & F. A. SHEA. Administrators. BUTTONHOLE SEWING AND CUTTINGMACHINE.

(Application filed J iN o M o Le l x w 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

KW 1' f ww Tn: Nonms pz-rzws co., pHoro-uwe., WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 655,637. I Patented Aug. 7, |900.

`..I. REECE, Decd.

M. REECE & F. A. SHEA, Administrators.

BTTONHOLE SEWING AND CUTTING MACHINE. (Application led July 8, 189B.) (No Model.)

No. 655,637. Patented Aug'. 7, i900.

.J. REECE, Ded.

M. miic; & F. A. SHEA, Administrators. V BUTTONHOLESEWINGy AND CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application med July s, 169s.)

I(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 aan 520660.

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No. 655,637. PafentedAug. 7, |900. J. REECE, new.

M. REECE & F. A. SHEA, Administrators. BUTTONHULE. SEWING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 8, 1898.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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' @arman @tetris- PATENT @erica ADMINISTRATORS OF JOHN REEOE, DECEASED.

BUTTONHOL SEWING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

s rncrrreatrton forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,637, dated August 7, 1900.

` Application iiled July 8, 1898. Serial No. 685,403. (No model.)

1o ment upon United States Patent No. 494,280,

dated March 28, 1893, and United States Patent No. 498,216, dated May 23, 1893. Patent No. 494,280 describes a buttonhole-stitching mechanism wherein the buttonhole made I5 has an enlarged eye, the stitching being commenced at the small end of the slit and being carried along the side of the slit, thence about the eye, the stitching mechanism .at such time having given to it a semirotation, and then zo'the stitching is resumed along the opposite side of the slit, the stitching being terminated at the small end of the slit, the barring being thereafter done on a separate machine. In

the Patent No. 498,2l6the `stitch-forming l z5 mechanism is described .as having imparted to it for the production of each buttonhole two semirotations, the first semirotation iinishing the enlarged or eye end of the buttonhole, the second semirotation barring and iinishing the small end of the buttonhole, the operation of the stitch-forming mechanism heilig stopped after stitching about the small end of the hole, such stitching barring that' end of the hole, the barring-stitches being the same as those made along the side of the slit, but the barring-stitchescross the line of the b uttonhole-slit.

To use the machine described in the latter patent, work was put into the open clamp, 4o the clamp was closed, the shaft having the worm for moving thestitch-frame was, startv ed at its highest speed, and said shaft turned' a cam which actuated the cutting mechanism to cut the material held in the clamp, and,

J that done, the cam "in its further rotation, the

high speed ofits sh'aft'beingcontinued,moves the stitch-frame quickly into proper position with relation to the cut buttonhole'held in said clamp and the stitch-forming mechan- 5o ism is started into operation, the shaft referred to at such time being put under the control of other driving mechanism which `imparts to said shaft and the cam actuated .by it a slower step-by-step movement, this slower movement being continued while stitching the buttonhole. The stitching of the buttonhole was started close to one end of the slit and was continued along the edge of the buttonhole to the point of starting, said stitching crossing both ends of the buttonhole and crossing the point of start-ing. During the overstitching of the slit the stitchforming mechanism had given to it amore or less straight movement, according to the particular shape desiredfor the eye of the b uttonhole, and Athe stitching mechanism had imparted to it two semirotations, said stitching completing and barring the but'tonhole.

In the patent referred to, owing to the fact that the buttonhole-stitching mechanism was rotated always in the same direction rotation after rotation, it became necessary to add to the` machine peculiar thread controlling `means for the under thread, which complicated the machine and made itV difficult to maintain the thread in its proper twisted condition, and, further, to impart to the stitchforming mechanism `a continued rotation in one direction only necessitated the employmentA of gears which were moved step by step by a ratchet mechanism, such mechanism and gears resulting in lost motion, so that the accurate commencement and stopping of the.

buttonhole could not always be insured.

This present invention is designed to obviate the difficulties experienced in the operation of themachine referred to in said patent. Herein the stitch-forming mechanism. instead of being rotated continuously in one direction rotation after rotation has impart-` ed to it two semirotative movements and two more or less straight movements alternately with said semirotations in the production of each buttonhole,and the stitch-forming mechanism is stopped after the completion. of its second semirotation, and thereafter, preparatory to stitching another ybuttonhole, the stitch-forming mechanism, having been rotated fora distance usually in excess of one complete rotation, is reversed in the direction of its movement and is brought again Ico to its normal starting-pointfthe return movement of the stitch-forming mechanism being herein represented as accomplished automatically, to thereby provide for operating the machine always at a high speed. To reverse the movement of the stitch-forming devices, mechanism is employed somewhat resembling that shown in United States Patent No. 494,280; butto enable the mechanism to operate as herein provided for the mechanism shown in said patent for imparting the semicircular movement to the stitch-forming mechanism had to be materially altered and modified, so that said mechanism might be moved for more than one full rotation and then be reversed into its normal starting position, and said altered mechanism operated in the manner herein to be described results in producing a machine having a new i herein by modifying the construction of the mechanism employed for imparting semirotative movement to the stitch-forming mech` anism it has become possible to impart to said stitch-forming mechanism two semirotations progressively at the proper time and to thereafter reverse the motion of said mechanism, returning it to its starting position. This operation has been rendered possible by making the bar, rod, or device used to connect the two sector-levers employed for imparting semirotative movement to both the needle-bar and the underthread-carrying mechanism the fulcrum for said two levers, said alteration of the fulcrum of these two sector-levers, together with the change of the shape of the path-cam for operating one of them, enabling the stitchforming mechanism to have a full or a little more than afull rotation imparted to it in the operation of forming each buttonhole. The lower sectorlever connected With this common fulcrum and employed to impart semirotative movements to the under-thread-carrying mechanism has an arm to which in the case of this invention is attached a link actuated by a lever moved by the usual cam contained in the casing,whereas in the Patent No. 494,280l

the said sector-lever had a cam-roll which entered a groove in the said cam. In this invention meanshave been provided to not only adjust the connection of this link with the arm of the sector-lever, but also to adjust the roller-stud on the lever used to actuate said link, whereby the sectors may be started sooner or later, and thereby insure the starting of the'stitching at exactly the properpoint. Patent No. 494,280 contains a shaft which is rotated intermittingly during the stitch-forming operation; but said shaft after the buttonhole has been stitched is rotated continuously to eect rapidly the proper relative change of the stitch-forming mechanism" with relation to the Work-clamp, holding the work-clamp so that the stitch-forming mechanism isput into position to enable the buttonhole to be cut and to again enable the stitching mechanism to be brought into position to again start the stitching for the next buttonhole. In Patent No. 494,280 the shaft referred to has a continuously-rotating clutch-pulley, which is automatically put out of clutch to let the shaft be moved intermittingly for stitching b v means of a lever pivoted at the under side of the clamp-frame, said lever deriving its movement from suit-able levers of a rock-shaft under the control of an actuating device or a starting or stopping clutch carried by the main shaft, which imparts motion to the stitch-forming mechanism, and said pulley was put into clutch to rotate said shaft by or through the movement of a lever located at or near the cloth-clamp, said lever being moved by the insertion of the work in the clamp, and in its movements a bar was released controlled by a spring, said bar when released moving the lever in a direction to pnt the clutch-pulley in engagement. Herein the lever referred to as pivoted to the under side of the clamp-frame has been materially modified in its construction, shape, and method of operation.

During the operation of stitching a buttonhole the usual rock-shaft which controls the time of starting and stopping the stitch-forming mechanism acts by one of its arms against the portion of a lever having an incline, said lever being connected at or near its incline with one part of the clutch for imparting at desired times more rapid speed to the shaft for moving the stitch-frame; but when the stitch-forming mechanism is to be thrown out of operation, as it is when the last stitch of the buttonhole is made and at which time the clamp is opened, the arm referred to of said rock-shaft retires from contact with the lever having the incline, letting a spring move said lever in a direction to effect the clutching together of the clutch for imparting the rapid movement to said shaft and stitch-frame. As the clamp is open a projection controlled by it comes opposite theinner end of a lever which has been added to the present machine, it being pivoted upon the under side of the clamp-frame and holding said lever provided with the incline in a fixed position, so that a stud at the opposite end thereof is put in position to constitute a rigid abutment. As soon as the clutch is engaged the stitch-frame is started up at its vmost rapid speed and the lever having the incline moves with it and said incline acts against the stud or rigid abutment, so that by the time the stitch-frame arrives in position for the open clamp to receive the material containing the buttonhole to be stitched the clutch has been opened, thus completely stopping the rotation of the shaft which imparts movement to the stitchframe, leaving all parts of the machine at rest. The closing of the clamp on the material applied thereon effects the release of the IOO IIO

lever having the stud or abutment, so that the spring referred to connected with the lever having the incline acts to immediately effect the rengagement of the clutch to start the stitching-frame at its highest speed, such speed being continued until the buttonholecutting mechanism has been operated to out the buttonhole and until the stitching mechanism is brought into proper relation to the Work held in the cloth-clamp, at which time the stitching mechanism is started automaticallyinto operation, as will be described, and the arm of the rock-shaft again acts upon the lever having the incline to immediately turn it and effect the unclutching of the clutch.

Figure l of the drawings represents in side elevation a sufficient portion of a buttonholesewing machine of the class referred to, to which my improvements are added. Fig. 2 is an under side view of said machine. Fig. 3 is a partial left-hand side View and brokenout section of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an under side view of the cam for actuating the stitch-forming and other mechanisms. Fig. 5 is a detail showing` one-half of the clamp and its carrier-plate. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the clamp-frame with the stitch-forming mechanism removed, said view showing the upper side of the main cam and the levers lying above it. Fig. 7 is a detail showing in perspective the arm 53, to be described. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the lower stitch-forming mechanism and adjacent parts.

The stitch-f rame a, the clam p-frame n', the shaft a2, mounted in the stitch-frame and actuating the stitch-forming mechanism, said stitch-forming mechanism containing a needle-bar b', provided with an eye-pointed need le, the constantly-driven pulley flo, loose on the shaft a2, the dog fl?, which by its movements is made to secure said pulley to said shaft when the latter is to be rotated to actuate the stitch-forming mechanism,the armfm, having the stud or projection fl to at times meet the'dogflz, said arm forming part ofa three-armed rock-shaft, the other two arms being marked Fand fm, the casingf, connected to and moving in this instance with the stitch-frame, the cam-wheelj in said casing, it having a series of Worm-teeth at its edge to be engaged by aWorm t, fast on a shaft Z936, the arm b, fast on one end of said shaft and having a projection hw to form part of a clutch, the pulley Z927, having a hollow sleeve which is fitted over said shaft and having fast upon it a grooved collar Z918, the link fi), deriving its operation from a suitable eccentric connected with the shaft d2 of the stitch-forming mechanism, the slide-pin elo, which acts on the arm F of the said threearmed rock-shaft to turn it at the proper times so that the projection fleaves its dog and permits it to engage the pulleyf10 with the shaft a2 to rotate it and start the stitchforming mechanism, as in Fig. l, or to effect the engagement of said project-ion with said dog and stop the rotation of said shaft, and the arms 29, pivoted at 30 and having projections 28 to coperate with the levers or arms, to be described, of the cloth-clamp, the stud l, mounted in a suitable ear attached to and movable with the cam-casing f4 of t-he stitchfram e, and the lever Z2, iiXe'd on said stud and having a roller or other stud Z3, which enters a cam-groove 7 (see Fig. 4) at the lower side of the cam j are and maybe all substantially as shown and indicated by like characters in Patent No. 494,280. Herein the camgroove 150 in the upper side of the operatingcam jis shaped somewhatdifferentlyfrom the shape given to the cam-groove in the upper side of said operating-cam in said patent, and so also the cam-groove B6 in the under side of said operating-camj, (see Fig. 4,) it surrounding the cam 7, is somewhat differently shaped from the cam-groove at the under side of the operating-cam in said patent. The change of shape in the cams 150 and B6 is such that the operating-camj may travel for a greater distance during the operation of stitching each buttonhole then the like operating-cam does in the patent referred to, and thereby it becomes possible for said cam B6, acting on a roller-stud B4 of a lever B2, to turn the sector A7, with which it is operatively joined, for a sufficient distance to rotate the stitch-forming mechanism for a full or more than a full rot-ation during the formation of each buttonhole. The cam-groove 150 in the upper side of the operating-cam j is entered by a roller or other stud j", (see dotted lines, Figs. l and 3,) depending from the clamp-frame,said stud being substantially the same as shown in said patent, and said cam 150 in its rotation acting on said stud imparts to the stitch-frame longitudinal motions to carry the stitch-forming mechanism in the proper lines to stitch a buttonhole held in a clamp carried by the clamp-frame, the latter being stationary; but it will be understood that this invention comprehends either moving the stitch-frame longitudinally or the clamp-frame longitudinally,

as in either plan the operation is the same.

The machine described in United States Patent No. 494,280 contains a single starting and a stopping cam, the cam being provided at one end with an incline to start into operation the stitch-forming mechanism at a definite time, the opposite end ofsaid cam being made abrupt to stop the operation of said stitch-forming mechanism instantly. In that patent the starting and stopping point ofthe cam always occupied exactly the same distance apart, and if the starting-point was adjusted to vary the starting of the stitching the stopping-point was correspondingly adjusted and the stitching was always of the same length. Said starting and stopping cam has been made in muliparts, so that any desired adjustment may be had between` the points of starting and stopping. Makingsaid cam adjustable as to its effective length en-A ables the stitching to be started at anydesired point with relation to the buttonhole and the stitching to be stopped at any desired point, and by rotating the stitch-forming mechanism for more than one rotation in the operation of stitching each buttonhole the points of stitching in starting and stopping may be made to cross each other.

Referring to Fig. 6, 157 represents the starting-point of the starting and stopping cam, and 153 the stopping-point of said cam. The starting-point is held adjustably in position by va suitable set-screw 152, while the stopping-point is held in position by a suitable set-screw 154, an intermediate portion 155 of said cam being held in place by a suitable set-screw 15G. It will be noticed that the inner ends of the starting and stopping points of the cam are beveled at their junction with the intermediate portion 155 of the cam, so that in no instance are the gaps between the starting and stopping portion and the intermediate part opened sufficiently to let descend into the space between said parts the lower end of the pin or stud 010, which rides on said cam and controls the clutch for starting into motion and actuating the shaft a2, that it may assume control of and rotate the v shaft Z936 intermittingly at its slower speed during the stitching of a buttonhole.

The needle-bar slides up and down in a box 34, having an attached gear 39. rlhe underthread-carrying needle 51X is mounted upon a segment 50X, sliding in a curved race-way 49X, and operated from the reciprocating hollow rod 59 by means of the lever 54 and connected parts, as described in the aforesaid Patent No. 498,210. The looper (53X, which cooperates with the under-thread-earrying needle 5l and the eye-pointed needle of the needle-bar ZJ in making the stitch, is given its proper movements by the hollow rod 59, which reciprocates the block carrying the camgroove X for actuating the roller G9 and also carrying the projection 71X for actuating the adjustable projection 72X, all as fully described in the aforesaid Patent No. 498,216. The hollow rod 59, the lever 60, pivoted at 6l and connected with the link fg, the block 48, on which said rod 59' slides, the gear 45, attached to the lower end of said block below its bearing 46, forming part of the casefl, and the lever 54X, moving the segment containing the under-thread carrier, operate and are all as shown and described in the aforesaid Patent No. 498,216.

The casing f4 sustains a vertical rock-shaft A, having a collar A, which rests on a part of the casing to thus maintain the said rockshaft in its vertical and operative position. The upper end of this rock-shaft has connected to it by a screw A2 the hub A3 of a toothed sector A4, said sector engaging the gear 39 for imparting rotary movement to the needle-bar. The shaft A at its lower end has fast to it by a screwA5 the hub AG of a sector-lever A7,*the teeth of said sector-lever engaging the gear 45, fast on the boX 48, to thus effect the-rotations of the said box and the under-thread carrier and looper mounted therein. arm AS of the sector-lever A7 has adj ustably connected to it by an adjusting-screw Ba link B, jointed to one end of the lever B2, pivoted at B3 on a part of the casingf, said lever having a roller or-other stud B4 mounted thereon and made adjustable in a slot B5 thereof. The roller-stud enters the cam-groove B6 (see Fig. 4) at the under side of the cam j, mounted inside the casing, and as said lever B2 is moved it moves the sector-lever A7, causing it to turn the shaft A, so that both the sectors A7 and A4 in engagement with the respective gears 45 and 39 rotate the stitchforming parts simultaneously and in unison, and owing to the fact that the said sectorlevers are fast on and move with the shaft A, said shaft constituting their fulcrum or center of motion, it becomes possible to move said sectors for a distance sufficient to effect a full revolution of the gears 45 and 39 during the formation of each buttonhole, one half of the full revolution bein'g imparted when making, say, the large eye of the buttonhole and the other halt' when starting and completing-the small end of the buttonhole. In fact, the eX- tent of motion given to the sectors may be and in practice usually is sufficient to give a little more than one complete rotation to the stitch-forming mechanism during the production of each buttonhole. The buttonhole having been finished and the stitch-formingmechanism having been stopped and the clothclamp opened the sectors are reversed in their movements, reversing the movement of the stitch-forming mechanism and bringing the same back into starting position, so that when the stitching of the next buttonhole is to be begun the stitching may be commenced at one side ot' the slit, near one end, preferably its small end. By reversing the movement of the stitch-forming mechanism after the formation of each buttonhole the tendency to twist the threads used in forming the stitch is obviated.

The rod 59 is hollow, (see Fig. 2,) as provided for in Patent No. 498,216, and the under or second thread is led therethrough from a suitable spool supported upon the table or other fixed part of the machine.

The arms C, carrying the upper member C' of the cloth-clamp, are mounted on a suitable pivot C2, extended through a block C3, adjustably connected by a screw C4 in a slot of said block to a plate C5, there being two such plates and levers placed in a suitable recess in the clamp frame. The under member of the cloth-clamp is and may be all as provided for in either of the two patents referred to. The shorter arms of the levers C have (see Fig. 1)

' inturned ears D, which are overlapped by the projections 28 of the clamp-closing arms or levers 29, there being a spaceabove each ear. One of the clamp-closing levers 29, (see Fig. 3,) there being two such levers fast on the rod 30, has attached to it by a screw D the Han ged The short IOO end D2 of an arm D3, provided at its free end with an adjusting-screw D, having at its upper end a loose block D5. The iiange D2 in this present instance of this invention carries an adjusting-screw DG and a stop-screw D7, and the spring DS connects a convenient portion of the frame to the arm D3, which spring normally1 acts to lift the said arm and the arms 29 to open the cloth-clamp. The screw D6 and its carrying means constitute locking means for an initial starting-leverE, to be described.

The drawings, Figs. 1 and 3, show the clamp in the position it will occupy when closed upon the work, and in such position the end of the screw D6 is below and out of contact with the projection 3l at the end of said lever E', pivotcd on a stud E2, carried by the clampframe, the rearend of said leverbeingslotted, as at E, to receive a stud E", which is made adjustable in said slot, said stud extending downwardly across the path of movement of a switch (shown as a lever G) to be described. The casingf* has a pivot G', upon which is mounted one end of the switch G, said switch having one of its arms slotted, as at G2, to receive the arm flX of t-he three-armed rockshaft, said arm contacting with the end 30 of the slot in said lever while a buttonholeis being stitched and keeping said lever in the position Fig. 6, with the spring G3 strained. In this condition of the switch G a roller or other stud G4, carried by one end thereof and standing in the groove of the collar Z118, holds the clutch-pulley b2?, with its projection G5, back away from and out from engagement with the projection ZJ16 of the arm Zillso that said continuously-driven clutclrpulley Z327, although rotating, remains inactive, the shaft b3 at such time being rot-ated at its slowest speed by means which will be hereinafter described. When the stitching of the buttouhole has been completed, it is desirable that the speed of the shaft Z136 be increased momentarily, and to do this the following provision has been made, viz: That arm or end of the switch G near the roller-stud G4 is beveled or inclined, as at 20, (see dotted lines, Fig. 6,) and the stud E1 crosses the line of said bevel or incline. The lever E is acted upon by a spring Il, a part of which is inclosed in a suitable hole 2l ot' said lever, the opposite end of the spring entering an opening in a portion of the clamp-frame a", where its end is acted upon by an adjusting-screw 22. (See Fig. This spring H acts normally to keep the stud EVl pressed toward the inclined part of the switch G, it being used simply to insure contact.

The casing f4 has a suit-able ear 23, (see Fig. 3,) provided with a stud 2t on which is mounted a clamp-closinglever H, said lever normally resting at its free end on the block (Z5 and having, as shown, a suitable roller or disk H2, which is acted upon by the under side of the operatingcam y', said cam having t-heir projections 28, acting in the inturned' ears of the arm of the levers C, to turn them sufficiently to remove the upper members C of the clamps from the work, and at such time the stop-screw D7 meets the under side of the clam p-f rame, said screw being adj usted as may be desired to insure the proper or neces sary opening movement of the clamp.

The drawings, Figs. 1 to 3 and 6, show the parts in the positions they will occupy when the buttonhole is being stitched.`

It will be remembered that the rocleshaft having the three arms f1, F, and f 16X is moved by the spring f22 to stop the rotation of the shaft a2, which actuates the stitch-forming mechanism, when the sliding pin cw passes over the stopping end 153 of the starting and stopping cam, the passage of said pin from said cam permitting the arm f10X to be turned in the direction of the arrow near it in Fig. l, so that the said arm retires from its contact with the end 30 of the slot G2, letting the spring G3 turn the switch G so-that it contacts at its side near the base of said incline 20 with the stud E4, and as the arm flGX is turned to let the switch G move, as described, the cloth-clamp is instantly opened, so that the adj listing-screw D(3 carried thereby comes up opposite the inner end 3l of the lever E and immediately locks said lever in a iixed position.

The movement of the switch G due to the spring G3 causes the roller-stud G of said lever, standing in the grooved collar Z318, surcontrols the movement of the shaft b36 at its higher rate of speed, and immediately the said operating-cam j is started upV at high speed and the stitch-frame is moved longitudinally at a faster speed, causing the incline 2O to act against the then stationary stud or fulcrum E4, and as the stitch-frame arrives in its position to receive new work the incline 20 will have traveled oversaid stationarystud or fulcrum sufficiently to have moved the pu1 ley Z227 in a direction opposite the arrow in Fig. 6 to effect the disengagement of saidpulley from the arm b, fast on said shaft, leaving the said shaft at rest, for it will be understood that when the stitch-forming mechanism was stopped by the movement of the three-armed rock-shaft movement ofthe shaft a2 was also stopped, and consequently the IOO IIO

- mechanism between said shaft and the shaft at its upper side, near its center, a cam 57X,

which acts on a toe 58X of a cutter-carrying lever GX, pivoted at G'Xand provided with a cutting-blade G2 ofthe length of the buttonhole to be cut, said pivot G being held in suitable ears on the stitch-frame. The buttonhole-cutting blade operating as a singlestroke cutter cooperates with a suitable cutter bed or anvil of the usual form, shown in the two said patents and hence not considered necessary to be here illustrated. The cutter is thus given itsdownward or cutting movement by the action of the cam projection 58X, and a spring GSX, as usual, provides for the upward movement of the cutter.

With the cloth-clamp open and the stitching-frame and its stitch-forming mechanism in such position away from said clamp as to enable the work to be reinserted in the clamp the clamp will be closed upon the work, and in so doing the clamp will depress the arms 29 and with them the arm D3, removing the screw D6 from contact with the lever E', and immediately the spring G3 will act to move the lever G in the direction of the arrow 10, Fig. 6, said lever carrying with it the stud or fulcrum E, it being no longer restrained by the adj listing-screw D6, causing the said lever G to slide the continuously-rotating pulley Z727, and put its projection Gr5 in contact with the projection b1 of the arm Z917, fast on the shaft 1936, immediately starting the stitchframe at its high rate of speed, causing the buttonhole-slit to be cut and the stitch-frame and stitching mechanism to be put into position where the first stitch is to be made in the commencing of a buttonhole, the slidepin elo is elevated by the inclined end of the cam 157, turning the said three-armed rockshaft and removing the projection f13 from the end of the dogf, letting said dog move under the spring 34 to effect the engagement of the continuouslyrotating loose pulleyfo with the shaft c2 for operating the stitchforming mechanism, so that said shaft immediately starts and sets into operation the stitch-forming mechanism. Movement of the three-armed rock-shaft, as described, causes the armf16X to move in a direction opposite the arrow near it in Fig. 1, said arm meeting the shoulder 30 of the lever G and pulling said lever in opposition to its spring Gs causes theroller-stud G4 at the end of said lever acting in the collar 1918 to immediately disengage the projection G5 of the continuouslyrotating pulley 1127 from the projection Z916 of the arm b, fast to said shaft Z936, leaving said shaft free to be moved at the slower speed during stitching by devices now to bev described, deriving their movement from the shaft a2 of the stitch-forming mechanism. The shaft b3 has fast upon it a collar J, and at one side of said collar the shaft has fixed to it a gear 40, and about this gear is hung an internally-toothed ring 41, some of the teeth of the ring engaging the teeth uppermost in the gear, one side of the ring resting against the collar J. The outer end of the sha-'ft 1936 has loosely mounted upon it a pawl-carrier 50, provided with a biting dog or pawl 51, which acts on the smooth periphery 0f the ring 41 as the pawl-carrier is moved downwardly, said pawl-carrier deriving its movements from a link 52, connected with an arm 53, extended from a hollow hub surrounding the rock-shaft having the three arms, as described, said hub having a second arm, (see Fig. 7,) which is acted upon at suitable times by an eccentric marked fo, (see Fig. 7,) said eccentric being substantially the same as the eccentric marked f3 in said Patent No.494,280. In the space between the teeth at the lower edge of the wheel 40 and the teeth of the ring 42 there has been placed a crescentshaped wedge 54, it having a pin 55, with which is connected a spring 43, the opposite end of said spring being attached to a stud 44 of the pawl-carrier 50, so that said wedge follows the active movement of the pawlcarrier, and the spring acts to draw the wedge out from between the teeth of the gear and the ring while the pawl 51 is returning for a fresh grip on the ring, the wedge insuring the engaging of the teeth of the positivelydriven ring with the teeth of the gear, and in this way the gear 40 and the shaft has are driven intermittingly during the stitching of the buttonhole. By the use of this ring and gearthe employment of a pawl and ratchet is obviated.

Having described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for stitching buttonholes,

IOO

IIO

the following instrumentalities, viz: a clothframe, a clamp mounted thereon, a stitch.- frame containing part of the stitch-forming mechanism comprising a needle-bar and needle, a gear surrounding the needle-bar of the stitch-forming mechanism, a block containing the stitch-forming mechanism complemental to said needle-bar and needle, a second gear carried by said' block, a vertical rock-shaft, two toothed sectors mounted on said rock-shaft, means to turn said rock-shaft and actuate said toothed sectors each for a distance sufficient to rotate both said gears for a distance in excess of one complete rotation, a part of said complete rotation being effected at each end of the buttonhole, and means on the completion of the buttonhole to reverse the movement of said stitch-forming mechanism and turn it back into its normal or starting position.

2. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, the following instrumentalities, viz: a stitchframe having a casing, an operating-cam having a cam-groove, means to rotate said operating-cam, a pivoted lever movable with said casing and the stitch-frame, a stud carried by said lever and entering a groove in said operating-cam, a sector-lever having an arm, means to connect the lever movable with said casing and stitch-frame with said sector-lever, a rock-shaft to which said sector-lever is Xed, a second sector-lever carried by said rock-shaft near its upper end, two gears each engaged by one of said sector-levers, and stitch-forming mechanism .rotated in unison by said sector-levers engaging said gears, said sector-levers being actuated for a distance sufficient to impart to said gears and the stitch-forming mechanism a movement in eX- cess of a full rotation, and means to then reverse the movement of said sector-levers and stitch-forming mechanism, putting the stitchforming mechanism into its normal or starting position.

3. In a buttonholestitching machine, a stitch-frame having a casing, stitch-forming mechanism mounted in said stitch-frame, said stitch-forming mechanism comprising an eye-pointed penetrating needle and a complemental under-thread-carrying needle, an operating cam inclosed in said casing, and means to rotate said operating-cam; combined with a lever pivotally mounted upon and movable with said casing and stitchframe, an adjustable roller-stud carried by said lever and entering a groove in said operating-cam, a sector-lever, an independent fulcrurn therefor, said sector-lever engaging a gear operatively joined to the complemental stitch-forming means, and a jointed connection between the levermovable with the casing and stitch-frame and the end of said sector-lever, to operate, substantially as described.

4:. In abuttonhole-stitching machine,stitch forming mechanism comprehending an eyepointed penetrating needle and complemental devices carrying an under thread, means to actuate said stitch-forming mechanism to form overedge-stitches, and means to rotate said stitch-forming mechanism for a distance greater than one rotation thereof during the formation of a buttonhole, means to suspend the operation of said stitch-forming mechanism at the completion of a buttonhole, and means to thereafter reverse the rotation of said stitch-forming mechanism and return it to its normal starting position.

5. Inabuttonhole-stitchingmachine,stitch ing mechanism including an eye-pointed pen etrating needle, an under-thread carrier, and a looper; means to actuate saidstitch-form ing mechanism to'form a series of overedge-` stitches, and means to cause said stitch-forming mechanism to operate along the sides of the buttonhole, means for imparting to said stitch forming mechanism a semirotative movement at opposite ends of the buttonhole,

said semirotations being in the same direction, the extent of rotative movement given to the stitch-forming mechanism in making a buttonhole being more than one full rotation whereby the buttonhole is stitched about both ends, means to suspend the operation of clamp-frame and rotated by said shaft inter mittingly step by step during the operation of stitching a buttonhole, a starting and stopping cam adjustable in position and as to its operative length and carried by said operating-cam, and means controlled by said starting and stopping cam to start into operation and stop the action of said stitch-forming mechanism that the stitching may be commenced at the desired point in a buttonhole and be carried entirely about the buttonhole, the stitch-forming mechanism during such operation being rotated in one direction for more than a full rotation thereof, .at which time the stopping mechanism acts to effect the stopping of the stitch-forming mechanism, further rotation of said operating-cam by said shaft, the stitching mechanism being at rest, reversing the said stitch -forming mechanism and returning the stitch-frame into its starting position.

7. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, a stitch-forming mechanism consisting of a reciprocating eye-pointed needle and complement-al means cooperating therewith and to form an overedge-stitch, a support for said complemental stitch-forming means, a clamp to hold the work, cloth-cutting means, means to actuate it to cut the Work in the clamp, means to actuate said stitch-forming mechanism, means to rotate said support in one direction intermittingly for more than one complete rotation While the stitch-forming mechanism is actuated to stitch a bu ttonhole and bar one end thereof, and means to thereafter rotate said support with its complemental stitch-forming means in an opposite direction `while the stitch-forming mechanism is inoperative.

8. In a machine forst-itching buttonholes, a clamp-frame, a clamp to hold the work, a stitch-frame,stitch-forming mechanism therein including an eye-pointed penetrating needle and complemental parts to control asecond thread, means to actuate said stitch-forming mechanism to make overedge-stitches, means to control the time of starting said actuating means, andthe commencement of the stitching, means to change the relative posi- IOO IIO

tions of said stitch-forming means and clampframe according to the size of the buttonhole to be stitched, means to impart to said stitchforming mechanism during the formation of a buttonhole a circular motion in excess of l one entire rotation, means tostop said actuating means at the completion of the rotative y movement of the stitch-forming mechanism and to then reverse the movement of said stitch-forming mechanism, returning it to its normal starting-point.

9. In an organized buttonhole-stitching machine, a work-clamp, Work-cutting mechanism, stitch-forming mechanism including an eye-pointed penetrating needle and complemental under-thread-carrying means, means to actuate said cutting mechanism to cnt the work, means to then start the sewing mechanism to overstitch the edges of the buttonhole, means to rotate the said stitch-forming mechanism in one direction for more than a f ull rotation to therebyenable the last stitches made in finishing the buttonhole to overlap stitches made at the commencement of the buttonhole, and means to thereafter reverse `the rotation of said stitch-forming means and bring it into its normal starting position.

10. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, the

following instrnmentalities, viz: a stitchframe, a clamp to hold the work, actuatingarms having projections to open and close said clamp, a depending arm connected with the actuating-arms, a casing connected with said stitch-frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said casing and provided with a stud, said lever having operative contact with said depending arm, and a rotating cam shaped to actuate the lever carrying said stud and effect the closing of the clamp automatically at the proper time.

, 1l. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a stitchframe, a clamp-frame, a Work-holding clamp mounted thereon, actuating-arms connected with said cloth-clamp and having projections to be acted upon and close said clamp, a depending arm connected with the actuatingarms, a casing connected with said stitchframe, a lever pivotallymounted on said casing and having its ends normally in contact with said depending arm, a spring acting on said depending arm to open the clamp, and a cam vacting on said lever to depress the depending arm and close the clamp at the desired times. v

12. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a cloth-clamp having depending arms, an arm having a device to engage said depending arms and provided with an adjustable stop a change of position which limits the extent of opening of the clamp to adapt the same for receiving work of varying thickness.

'13. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a cloth-clamp, means in engagement with said cloth-clamp for moving the same in one or the other direction, a closing-lever, means to operate it, and adjusting means between said closing-lever and the means for opening and closing said clamp, whereby the degree of pressure of the clam p upon the goods may be determined.

14. In a bnttonhole-stitching machine, a clamp, an arm having ears engaging depending arms of said clamp, a depending arm carried by the arm having the ears, an adjustable stud in said depending arm, a spring connecting a suitable point on the frame of the machine and said depending arm to open the clamp, and a closing-lever cooperating with said depending arm to close the clamp at the proper time and means for operating said lever.

15. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a shaft having a worm, said shaft also having an arm with a projection, an operating-cam having worin-teeth engaged and adapted to be r0- tated by the worm of said shaft, a stitch-frame carrying said operating-cam and shaft, a continuously-rotating high-speed clutch-pulley mounted loosely on said shaft, stitch-forming mechanism carried by said stitch-frame, an independent rotating shaft, and means operated thereby to actuate said stitch-forming mechanism, means to start and stop the shaft for operating the stitch-forming mechanism at the desired times, a switch controlled by the means for starting and stopping the shaft for operating the stitch-forming mechanism, said switch having an incline and being operatively connected with a hub secured to said contin uously-rotatin g high-speed clutchpulley, an initial starting-lever having a stud, cloth-clamping mechanism provided with a stud to hold and release said initial startinglever at thel desired times, whereby when the said initial starting-lever is locked by said latter stud with the cloth-clamp in its open condition the movement of the stitch-frame with the switch having the incline causes said switch to operate and remove the clutch-pulley from engagement with the projection carried by the arm of the shaft having the worm to thereby stop the further rotation of said worm-shaft.

16. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a stitch-frame, a shaft mounted therein, a continuously-rotating clutch-pulley loose on said shaft, a switch made as a lever and mounted on said stitch-frame, one end of said switch being in operative engagement with a part of a sleeve extending from said clutch-pulley, said switch having an incline; combined with means to move said switch in a direction to effect the engagement of a projection carried by said clutch-pulley with a projection carried by an arm extended from said shaft, means under the control of said shaft to move the stitch frame longitudinally, a clampframe, an initial starting-lever pivoted thereon, means to lock said lever as the stitchframe is started in its longitudinal movement, a projection carried by said lever being acted upon by the incline of the switch to effect the IOO disengagement of the clutch from said shaft when the stitch-frame has been moved longitudinally for the proper distance to at such time release the clutch and leave the shaft actuated by it at rest.

17. In a buttonliole-stitching machine, a cloth-frame, a cloth-clamp carried thereby, and operatively connected with a stud to lock an initial starting-lever, said cloth-clam p being pivotally mounted on said clamp-frame, an initial starting-lever pivoted on said clampframe and provided with a stud,astitchframe having a shaft, a continuo usly-rotating clutchpulley mounted loosely on said shaft,a switch, a spring controlling said switch to effect the engagement of said rotating clutch-pulley with said shaft to start it at its highest speed, said shaft actuating the stitch-frame and causing the incline on the switch acting against the stud of the initial starting-lever to disengage the clutch referred to and stop the rotation of said shaft.

18. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a shaft having an arm provided with a projection, a constantly-rotating pulley loosely mounted on said shaft and provided with a projection7 a cloth-clamp, means to retain said cloth-clamp in its open position, an initial starting-lever controlled by said cloth-clamp and operatively held in its abnormal position by said operi clamp, a switch under the control of a spring to normally effect the engagement of the projection of said clutch-pulley with the projection of the arm fast on said shaft, the closing of the clamp releasing the initial closing-lever permitting the spring to act upon and turn the switch to engage the clutch-pulley with the shaft.

19. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a stitchframe,ashaft mounted therein havinga worm, an operating-cam carried by said stitch-frame, said cam having worm-teeth adapted to be engaged and rotated by the worm of said shaft, a continuously-rotating high-speed clutchpulley mounted loosely on said shaft, stitchforming mechanism mounted in said stitchframe and actuated from a primary shaft a2, means to start and stop said primary shaft to operate or leave at rest the stitch-forming mechanism at the desired times, a switch having an incline at one end and held in one of its positions by the means for starting or stopping said primary shaft, means to connect said switch with the hub of said continuouslyrotating high-speed clutch-pulley, an initial starting-lever having a stud, a cloth-clamp, and means intermediate said cloth-clamp and said initial starting-lever to lock and then release the latter lever at the desired times, whereby when the said initial starting-lever having said stud is locked by or through the cloth-clamp,the movement of the stitch-f rame with the switch having the incline causes said incline acting against said initial starting-lever to disen gage a projection from said clutchpulley from a projection of the shaft having the worm, and a spring to move said switch when the initial starting-lever is released by the closing of the cloth-clamp, said spring at such time immediately effecting the engagement of the clutch and the immediate starting of the shaft having the Worm at its high rate of speed.

20. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a stitch-frame having a casing, a switch pivoted on said casing and having at one end an open slot, the other end of said switch having an incline, a high-speed continuously-rotating clutch-pulley, means to connect said switch with said clutch-pulley to slide it on the shaft about which it is rotated, a three-armed rockshaft having one of its arms engaging said switch, means to actuate said rock-shaft to turn saidswitch in one direction, a spring to move said switch in an opposite direction, a clam p-frame, a lever pivoted on said clampframe, and having at one end a stud; combined with a clamp mounted on said clampframe, and means intermediate said clamp and said lever to hold the latter in fixed position when the clamp is open to receive work, said lever being released when the clamp'is closed, thus freeing the switch that it may be immediately actuated by its spring to close the clutch and start the shaft at its high rate of speed.

21. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, the following instrumentalities, viz: a clothframe, a cloth-clamp mounted thereon; a stitch-frame containing stitch-forming mechanism, a gear having teeth entirely about its periphery and surrounding the needle-bar of the stitch-forming mechanism, a gear having teeth entirely surrounding its periphery mounted on a block containing the stitchforming mechanism complemental to said needle-bar and needle; a vertical rock-shaft, two sector-levers having said rock-shaft as their center of motion, and means to turn said rock-shaft and impart to said sector-levers a movement sufficient to impart more than a complete rotation to the said gears and the stitch-forming mechanism, a part ofsuch rotary motion being effected at opposite endsof the buttonhole, said sectors in their reverse movement reversing the said gears and turning the stitching mechanism backwardly into its starting position.

22. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, the following instrumentalities, viz: a frame having a clamp to hold the material to be stitched, a stitch-frame containingI stitchforming mechanism, actuating-means therefor, means for imparting more than a complete rotary movement to said stitch-forming mechanism, part of such rotary movement being imparted at one period in the operation of stitching the buttonhole, and the remainder of such rotary movement being imparted at another period in the operation of the stitching of the buttonhole.

23. A sewing-machine, comprising a stitchforming mechanism, means for imparting to TOO IIO

said mechanism a complete rotation during its sewing operations, and means for reversing said rotation to restore said mechanism to its normal position after the completion of its sewing operations.

24. A sewing machine of the character stated,comprisin g a bed-frame, a work-clamping member, an eye-pointed, reciprocating,

, straight needle located above the clamping member, and complemental stitch-forming mechanism consisting of an eye-pointed, reciprocating curved needle located below the clamping member, means to actuate the needles in forming the stitches, means to rotate the needles, step by step, a full revolution during the stitching operations, and means to reversely rotate the needles back to the starting-point.

25. A sewing-machine of the character' indicated, having a work-clamping member, an eye-pointed, reciprocating, straight needle located above the work-clamping member, an eye-pointed, reciprocating curved needle below the work-clamping member, means to actuate the needles for making overseamingstitches, a cam, and means to rotate the cam, said cam having a groove, and connections, substantially as described, with the needlecarrying parts, whereby a partial rotation of the camcauses a full rotation of the needles in one direction and complete rotation of the cam causes reverse rotation of the needles back to the starting-point.

26. A sewingmachine comprisingastitchforming mechanism and a cutting mechanism, means for actuating said mechanisms alternately,- means for imparting to the stitch` forming mechanism a complete rotation during its sewing operations, and while the cutting mechanism is at rest, and means for restoring both the stitch-forming and cutting mechanisms to position for a repetition of their operations; substantially as described.

27. In a sewing-machine of the character indicated, in combination, a bed-frame, a work-clamping member, an eye-pointed, reciprocating, straight needle located above the work-clamping member, and complemental stitch-forming mechanism including an eye-pointed, reciprocating, curved needle located below the work clamping member, means to actuate the needles in forming the stitches, a cam and means to actnate it, step by step, during the stitching operations, and separate means to actuate it continuously thereafter, said cam having the cam-groove B6, and connections, substantially as described, with the needle-carrying parts b', 48, whereby the needles are rotated a .full revolution during said step-by-step movement, and reversely rotated to the starting-point during the said continuous movement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.v

MARIETTA REECE, FRANCIS A. SHEA, Administrators for John Reece, deceased. Witnesses:

THOMAS J. OARTY, J r., F. W. DAvIsoN. 

